Q

[quartermaster_q]

"Q could do it," Tanner had suggested, prompting the young Quartermaster to look up from what he was doing and frown deeply.

 

"He certainly could not," the fluffy haired boffin replied blandly, shooting Tanner a look, then returning his attention to his laptop. "Besides, I don't go into the field without double-o seven."

 

It wasn't even official work they were talking about. Q Branch had simply gotten wind that a certain soviet agent was in town, apparently not on business, and at some point had started talking about how useful it might be to bug his personal laptop before five worked out he was here and got to him first. It had started off as light banter, a joke even, but it had gotten more and more serious as the time passed. Serious enough that someone had opened the man's file and had started reading up on the agent in question.

 

"It's not the field, it's a bar," Hopper, a young tech, chimed in. "Besides, you're just his type. Go in, have a flirt, bug him, then get out."

 

Q scowled, but it was obvious that they weren't going to let up- And really, it wasn't a terrible idea. He didn't like going out on something like this without Bond, but Bond wasn't in the office right now. He'd have to do this alone.

 

"Fine," Q eventually agreed with a sigh. "I'll do it."

 

That was how he wound up in a dreadful bar, sitting at a filthy table beside a large man who was attempting to get him very drunk. 

 

"Oh, just one more, come on," the man insisted, putting another beer down in front of Q.

 

His head was already spinning, and he knew if he drank any more he wouldn't be sober enough to do what needed to be done. His fingers grazed over his ear, tapping the device that sat inside as he assured the man he couldn't have another drop, hoping to alert his team that he needed some help- Except there was nothing. No static, no sound at all.

 

"What's wrong?" the Russian asked, his tone calm as his arm snaked around Q. "Can your friends not hear you any more?"

 

Q's pulse fluttered, and he tensed as he felt a small blade press against his side.

 

"You're right, you've had enough to drink," the man whispered. "Let's get out of here, hmm?"

 

Getting to his feet, Q let the man guide him, though the young Quartermaster moved slowly, scanning the crowd for help. He'd known this was a dreadful idea, and the moment he got away from the bastard he was going to march right back to Q branch and tell them all what a bunch of idiots they were.

 

(OTA! Feel free to have your pup notice the hidden knife, or not notice and simply approach Q by chance.)

Comments

[ilowell]

"Yeah..." Lowell fidgeted uncomfortably. "Visions. Like I just had one, of a bloke breaking into this room, ransacking it for that envelope, and then hiding it when he heard the other guy about to come back in. That's how I knew it was there."

[quartermaster_q]

Q looked doubtful, but wasn't in the mood to press or argue.

"I don't suppose you saw anything else that might prove useful," he asked blandly.

[ilowell]

Lowell didn't really think so, since he'd already pretty much told him everything. "The John Doe in the morgue I mentioned," he said after a moment. "That's the bloke who hid the envelope. I don't really know much about him, except... uh. Also Russian."

[quartermaster_q]

"And that all came to you via a vision, that you just happened to have," Q replied, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

[ilowell]

"Yes," said Lowell, and sighed. "Look, I can't make you believe me. Do or don't, I guess. It's not really any difference to me. I was just trying to help. Queen and country and all that."

[quartermaster_q]

"I imagine it does make a difference, if not an intimidate one," Q countered. "I don't think 'has knowledge of Russian spies' is something you want labelled as unexplained in your file, Mr. Tracy."